Fragile
by McManly
Summary: What happened after Owen left Cristina in the season premiere? What kind of life did he come back to? Was he with Beth at the time? This story tries to answer that question.


Owen walks in his apartment throwing his army duffle bag on the floor, trying to remember something good about being back home. He couldn't stop thinking about her, Cristina. That icicle, that kiss. The woman who perfectly scored him match for match. "What was I thinking?" he wondered out loud. Settling himself on his couch, he rubbed his temples. "Why CAN'T I stop thinking?" His emotions torn, Owen thought there was really not much left to do, at this point at the end of such a crazy night with car accidents, pen traches, icicles and impromptu make outs, except to have a beer.

Owen gets up to go to his fridge to see if his roommate Leo had any good beer, can, bottle, whatever. He was pretty sure all the beer he had left before his tour was either gone, or too old to be consumed. "Dammit!", he slams the fridge shut, heads for his liquor stash, the good stuff, single malt scotch. The bottle he had left was one that his father had given him before he died of a stroke right after Owen had signed up. "Son, think of me when you take a shot of this, but whatever you do, remember I'm proud of you," with that, the very next day, his father passed away. Holding the bottle in his hand for a second before pouring himself a shot, "What the hell, here's to you dad."

Settling back into the couch Owen tried to find something on tv, a movie, anything to keep him from heading back to that hospital, to her. His cell starts ringing, its Beth. Perfect timing, he thought. "Hey, hon," Owen forced a smile while he was talking to her, not exactly sure if it was out of guilt or happiness. "Hey baby! Want me to come over and tuck you in?" She laughed that laugh that Owen usually finds endearing and cute, but at this moment, it is like nails on a chalkboard. "Um, I think I might just hang out by myself tonight. I got into a car wreck on the way home from the base and I just need to relax for a while," He hoped she understood he needed his space.

"Oh lord Owen why didn't you call me? I would have met you at the hospital or something. Are you ok?" Her voice getting screechy like it does when she finds a bug in her apartment only worse.

"Well it was a crazy accident from the black ice, I had to triage some people and made sure they were all good when I left and got patched up myself a bit. Really I'm fine, just got a nice gash on my leg is all. The car is totaled though. I think I will go truck shopping tomorrow want to come?", he tried to sound chipper as so he could distract her, he hoped to god it worked.

It did, "Well, you do sound like you need to sleep, I am so sorry about your accident honey. I'll come over tomorrow morning and make you and Leo breakfast ok? Then you can tell me all about the accident. I have a lesson plan to work on tonight anyway. I was hoping we were going to see each other earlier. Since you want to be alone tonight, I'll just keep busy with my work. I need a distraction now anyway. Do you want me to order you some food or something?" she asked.

"No thanks, I noticed Leo had leftovers of something in the fridge, just not sure about the age thing. But definitely come by tomorrow whenever you want I'd love to see you," he lied, dreading the sight of her.

"Ok you take care now hon, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, sweet dreams", she makes kissing noises into the phone before hanging up.

Owen lets out a sigh of relief. Normally he'd be happy to see his girlfriend of 5 years after being away from her for 18 months straight. Why is this trip back so different?

He went to his room to change out of his accident clothes. His uniform pants were ruined, not even his mom could fix them to make them look normal. The he stared at his leg in his door mirror. He hadn't realized how bad the gash was. The staples looked like Frankenstein's forehead. Then he started smiling and chuckled when he remembered how shocked Cristina was when he stapled his own leg. "What a woman," he said to himself.

He thought of calling the hospital. What would he say? Where's the hot intern that patched me up and made out with me in the exam room? Then he got angry with himself, guilty for almost cheating on Beth, but more so that he didn't at least get Cristina's phone number, or ask her what she was doing later. Tonight would have ended much more differently, he thought.

Then he thought about Beth. "What have I done?" He felt guilty, mad at himself. She is such a sweet girl, a complete daddy's girl. Yet totally different from _her. She,_ the icicle princess, who was hardly a princess, was amazing so many levels. At the same time he concluded there was no possibility of seeing Cristina again, unless he went to the hospital on purpose, or fate made it so. Was it best to just stay away? He wondered why he felt like he has lost someone so amazing that he never had. That he's only known a total of about an hour? This is not it, love at first sight is what happens in movies and to crazy people. Not to him, Major Owen Hunt, army sergeant bad-ass.

Owen ended up falling asleep on the couch and he realized it because a) he was on the couch when he woke up, and b) he woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon among other things, designer perfume. Beth had let herself in, or Leo had, which was fine, but he thought he wanted to mentally prepare for before she came over. Oh well.

"Look who's up!" She bolts from the kitchen jumping on top of him before he could get up from the couch and kisses him deeply. He thought about how bad his scruff and breath must be, but obviously she didn't mind it. He kissed her back and ran his hands through her hair. When she was done she sat up roughly on his wounded leg. "Argh..! My staples.." He noticed one on the bottom was bleeding from the pressure.

"Oh no honey I'm so sorry, let me kiss it and make it better," She grabs a Kleenex from the coffee table wipes it off and kisses it as promised. Owen for some reason or another had the urge to roll his eyes after. "Wow that accident did a number on you," she said as she traced the trail of the staples, touching the ones Cristina did last.

"Yeah but I'm one of the luckier ones. A couple of them got banged up pretty bad, one lady lost her memory, one died. And a guy I helped lost his voice. It was a pretty rough day all around, but that hospital, Seattle Grace, is really a great facility," he said drifted off, thinking about icicles injuries.

"Well baby, breakfast is ready and I just have to make some coffee for you guys, " she kissed him again this time with tongue, which he returned.

"I missed you Beth," he looked into her eyes hoping that he came off as sincere as possible.

"I missed you too Owen, so did the bugs," she kissed him on the forehead before hopping off into the kitchen. How someone can be so chipper so early in the morning he didn't understand. Though what he didn't understand even more, is why it didn't bother him before.

Owen turned on the tv and surfed the local channels, they had a blurb about the accident from last night. He wanted to see if they showed SGH on at all. Then he thought about her again. He had a desire to see her, to check up on her. He knew she had friends at that hospital that were probably doing the same. But for some reason he was unsettled about not knowing how she was doing, was she also thinking the same about him?

"Come and get it!" Beth yelled from the kitchen as if she was in some kind of open area. He thought his neighbors could probably hear her. Oh well, he thought.

His roommate Leo bolts out of his room, giving Owen a quick pat on the back before taking his seat "Hey man! Its good to have you back. What time did you get in last night?"

"Oh probably around 11 or 12, super late. It was a crazy evening," He pulled out Beth's chair at the table and helped her scotch in to her spot before he sat down himself. "Nice spread Beth!"

"Nothing is too good for my boys. Oh I forgot, daddy's going to go with us when we go truck shopping, hope that's ok? He has been staying at home a lot lately I thought it'd be nice if we take him with us. I think he's depressed or something," She looked down at her food, not saying anymore.

Owen touched her hand, "Yes bring him with us, it'll be great to see him." Deep down he wondered how Michael, Beth's father, was really doing. Knowing the man had cancer, and didn't want to tell Beth was one of many burdens Owen had come back to, aside from a girlfriend he's now realizing is anything but independent. At first he thought it was cute, having to go to her apartment to kill bugs, that sort of thing. Now he feels a combination of guilt and pity for her, knowing that she will have no one when Michael is gone, except for him to pick up the pieces, a future that he is finding harder to see.

After breakfast Owen and Beth go to pick up Michael at his house, which is close to Owen's apartment. His two basset hounds, Wrangler and Scout, almost knock Owen over because of their excitement. He didn't realize how much he's missed those dogs.

"Owen, son how's it going?" Michael appears in the corridor, looking much weaker than he remembered. Trying to contain his surprise, "I'm great thanks, its good to be home at least for a while". They hug, he could feel from the hug that Michael has lost a tremendous amount of weight since he last saw him, probably close to 20 pounds. He looked Michael in the eyes, giving him the "we'll talk about this later" glance.

"Daddy! I'm so glad you're coming we'll have fun truck shopping. Owen needs a new car, his got smashed yesterday in a wreck on the way home", She hugged Michael, and started playing with the dogs in the other room.

"Are you ok?" Michael asked, looking Owen up and down.

"I'm not the one that needs to be looked after. Have you told her yet?" Owen spoke low enough so Beth couldn't hear him. Thankfully too distracted by the dogs.

"Owen we've discussed this. I am not going to tell her if it can be avoided. At this stage, anyway. If it gets out of hand I will," He tries to look away from Owen by going into the kitchen.

Owen goes after him, "Michael, you're going to need extreme medical treatment in a few months. Chemo is going to help, but you're going to need a lot of support, I am not here enough to give you what you need. You need to tell her", He pleaded with Michael, a conversation they've had many times, and even a fight once when he first discovered the cancer.

"Owen we'll talk I promise, I just don't want to ruin Beth's day today. She's so happy you're back and I want to keep it that way. By the way, I wanted to tell you, I took her mother's ring to get cleaned the other day. If you still want it, you're welcome to it," for Owen that was a twist of the knife, especially now.

"Thanks Michael, I'll consider it," Owen looked over at Beth who was on the floor wrestling with the dogs.

"Why don't we get going, all the good ones will be taken," Michael says looking right at Owen.

"Good idea daddy, I'll drive!" she gets up and playfully spanks Owen on the bum as she walks by him, it was one of the things that bothered him about her.

"Shot gun!" Michael says, as they reach the car.

"What am I going to do with you people," Owen says as he takes his seat in the back of Beth's Range Rover.

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Owen, Beth and Michael return from the dealership after Owen bought himself a brand new blue Ford F150. His only wish was that he could have driven it from the lot, but he had to ride back with Michael and Beth. Owen didn't know why but for some reason he thought about how his life could be like this all the time if he marries Beth, and thought he could maybe get used to it. He actually liked spending time with Michael and Beth. He had family himself in Seattle, but there was something about the Whitman's that just made him feel useful, and needed. It was then that he decided.

When they walk into Michael's house, he waits until Beth is in the bathroom, asks him if he can get the ring so he can see it. "I'm glad you think it will serve your purpose," Michael pats him on the back. "It will, for certain. Thanks Michael for everything," Owen says.

Owen stares at the ring, noting the small size, in the back of his mind, wondering if Cristina is the type of woman that would even want a ring. A rumbling down the stairs cues Beth's entry into the living room. One thing she isn't is quiet about anything. She is loud, even when she is moving around, something is always dropping or getting broken. Just one of those things.

"So what do you guys want to do watch some tv for a while? Or do you want to go home Owen? Daddy before I go I'll make you some lunch ok?" She says as she takes out some glasses from the kitchen cupboards for some iced tea, Owen knew that much.

"Beth, come here for a second," Owen said quietly.

She turns around, "Why all the seriousness?" She walks over to Owen and her father who are standing side by side, until Owen meets her halfway.

Owen then gets down on one knee, before he can say anything Beth cups her mouth with her hands, "Beth, it feels like we've been together a lifetime already, I wanted to know if we can make it official. Will you marry me?"

Beth lets out a yelp, looks at her father before tears well up in her eyes, "Owen, yes of course I will!"

He stands up to kiss her and when they stop he takes the ring and puts it on her left hand. "I love you Beth, I always have."

"Me too Owen, Oh my God you gave me my mother's ring! Daddy, its more gorgeous than I remember. What a wonderful perfect day!" She goes over to Michael and they both cry of happiness, Owen stands there watching them, hoping he will be able to keep being that guy for her, the one that proposes to her with her dead mother's ring that her father gave him. It was also at that moment he knew he could never see Cristina Yang again, or will at least try.


End file.
